Mohamed Salah signs off Liverpool career with assist in Brentford draw
Mohamed Salah provided an assist in his final appearance for Liverpool as they secured a 1-1 draw against Brentford at Anfield to guarantee Champions League football.
The Egyptian international set up Curtis Jones for the opening goal before Kevin Schade headed a dramatic equaliser for the visitors.
That result meant the Bees painfully missed out on European qualification by mere goal difference.
An emotional Anfield farewell
The prolific forward came agonisingly close to signing off with a goal when his first-half free-kick beat former team-mate Caoimhin Kelleher and struck the post.
Instead, he settled for a trademark outside-of-the-boot cross that allowed Jones to bundle home following Ryan Gravenberch’s perceptive through-ball.
Head coach Arne Slot substituted his talisman in the 74th minute, putting aside their recent high-profile disagreements to share a brief embrace.
The rest of the squad formed an impromptu guard of honour before the departing star knelt to kiss the turf one last time.
Delivering on a European promise
Following a recent social media post criticising the team’s tactical approach, the 31-year-old had publicly pledged to ensure a return to Europe’s elite club competition.
This final point officially delivered on that promise, although Bournemouth’s draw at Nottingham Forest had already rendered the top-four mathematics academic.
The afternoon also featured a notable Anfield return for former club captain Jordan Henderson, whose substitution was met with warm applause from his ex-colleagues.